ESSENTIAL MAKEUP BRUSHES

12 February 2016

When it comes to my makeup brushes I probably have more than I actually need, but they have some more different uses right?! In this post i've narrowed it down to the 10 brushes that are my essentials and could probably complete my daily makeup with just them.

I recently got the Zoeva Rose Gold Brush Set (post here) for christmas, so they have sort of taken over my beauty routine. However, I've included some old favourites which really aren't replaceable and will probably continue to use as long as they last.

Real Techniques Multi-Task Brush | (part of a set)Real Techniques were the first proper brushes I bought for myself, they are one of my favourite brands and so affordable. One of my favourites has to be the multi-task brush, purely for the fact that it can be used in so many ways. I tend to use mine for blush or powder, although, I do think it would be great for blending foundation when you don't want such a tightly packed brush.Flat Buffer Brush | (part of a set)This is one of my bargain brushes from a set off Ebay, I bought the set for when I was heading to Thailand as I didn't want to take lots of my more expensive brushes and lose or break them. The set included 10 brushes but this is my favourite, the flat kabuki style buffer brush is great for lightly applying bronzer and blending it all to get rid of those pesky lines you can get. The 10 piece set is prices at £4.90, so an absolute bargain and they don't feel or smell cheap at all. My only issue is that the handles are coming a little bit loose.ZOEVA #127 Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush | £11.50This was one of my favourites from my Rose Gold Brush Set but you can get it individually in silver or rose gold/pink. I love this brush for applying my deeper contour and bronzer shades as it really defines my cheek bones. The brush is made of natural hair so a little more coarse than some other brushes but still soft and the product applied beautifully and leaves a flawless coverage.ZOEVA #102 Silk Finish Brush | £11.50This is another favourite from the set and one I constantly hear other bloggers raving about how beautifully it applies your foundation. As soon as I got the set I couldn't wait to try it out and I'm definitely impressed. The soft bristles provide a smooth flawless finish and blends my foundation to perfection without making it streak I can sometimes find.Real Techniques Stippling Brush | £11.99I picked this one up when I was in New York thinking it would come in useful but I didn't end up using it until recently. When I was in my makeup class recently we were taught how to contour depending on our face shape and i've started using my Anastasia Beverly Hills cream contour kit more this brush is perfect for blending the cream based contour. I was so surprised at how well this blended all the colours together and its now a firm favourite of mine. I also love how easy this is to clean, the product doesn't tend to go deep into the brush so removes so easily.

Real Techniques Bold Metals Tapered Brush | £24.00When I first saw the RT Bold Metals has been released I was instantly drawn to the aesthetic of them and didn't actually care about how well they worked. After a bad experience with the foundation brush I was happy to finally feel the benefits of this one. I use my tapered brush to apply highlighter to the apples of my cheeks, brow bone and lightly to my forehead, the tightly packed bristles pick up just enough product to lease a lovely shimmer. The rose gold handle also looks gorgeous on my dressing table!ZOEVA Soft Definer | £6.95I am so impressed with the eye brushes in the Zoeva set I have and this one really is amazing. All of my previous eye brushes had been synthetic hair so can sometimes be too soft I find. The soft define is made real hair so a little more coarse but I find this is better for blending into the crease and ensuring that there is an even finish. I've also read that this is a great dupe for a MAC blending brush which is £19 so I'm glad I've been able to try this out!Royal & Langnickle Blending Brush | £8.68This brush is actually from a set I had about 5/6 years ago after discovering the brand at the Clothes Show Live, unfortunately I can't find the exact brush online but I did find one that looks similar. This brush is very similar to the Zoeva Soft Define but the hairs are a little finer and not as densely packed in, I find this one is perfect for blending looser eyeshadows.e.l.f. Essentials Eye Shadow Brush | £2.00This is another I picked up in NY after they were so cheap and I thought it would be a perfect eyeshadow brush. I like this one as it has shorter bristles and it applies eyeshadow a lot more defined, the curve of the brush applies the shadow perfectly over the lid and its quite narrow so can be worked into the crease.ZOEVA Wing Liner Brush | £5.95Shocker, but here is yet another from my Zoeva Rose Gold set, if I could include the whole set in this post I would but I had to pick my favourites. I have actually been using the wing liner brush for my eyebrows rather than eyeliner as I have found its the perfect angled shade for applying my ABH DipBrow Pomade. The bristles are soft and the product clings to them perfectly for a smooth application.